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Feb. 5, 2016

News Release

Press Operations

Release No: NR-041-16

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DoD Releases 2014 Annual Report on Suicide

Feb. 5, 2016

News Release

Release No: NR-041-16

Today, the Department of Defense (DoD) released its 2014 calendar year Suicide Event Report (DoDSER), which details the number of suicide attempts and deaths for U.S. service members.

The DoDSER also includes detailed assessments of demographic information, behavioral health history, and deployment history. Data foreach DoDSERreport were collected bythe servicesand augmented bydatafrom the Armed Forces Medical ExaminerSystem (AFMES; for activedutysuicidedecedents) and the DefenseManpowerData Center (DMDC; forsuicidedecedents and suicideattempts).

In 2014, there were 269 deaths by suicide among active component service members (compared to 259 deaths by suicide in 2013). There were 169 deaths by suicide among the selected reserve component in 2014, 80 in the reserve and 89 in the National Guard (compared to 220 deaths by suicide in 2013).

The suicide rate per 100,000 in 2014 was 19.9 for active component service members, 21.9 for the reserve, and 19.4 for National Guard.

Service members and their families in crisis should seek help immediately by contacting the Military and Veteran Crisis Line at 800-273-8255, (press 1 for military) for 24/7 crisis support. The crisis line also provides an online chat (www.militarycrisisline.net) and text service (838255). The Military and Veteran Crisis Line provides 24/7 confidential support to all service members and their families.